van dorston



Lb e e h s e nu h s A. N 0 T S R 0 D N A V W A d d 0 M o m DRAW GEAR FOR RAILWAY GARS.

No. 416,522. Paten-ted Dec. 3, 1889.

WIT/VESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. W. VAN DORSTON. DRAW GBAA POR RAILWAY GARS.

No. 416,522. Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

r WVESSES (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. W. VAN DORSTON.

DRAW GEAR PoR RAILWAY GARS. 1\Io.1.16,522.l Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

pine/6566 Ez/Ven io?a (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

f A. W. VAN DORSTON.

DRAW GEAR FOR RAILWAY GARS. No. 416.522. `Patented Deo. 3.1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ALVIN WV. VAN DORSTON, OF VASIIINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DRAW-G EAR F-OR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 416,522, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed .Iune l5, 1889. Serial No. 314,398. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN W. VAN DoRsToN, a citizen of the United States,` residing at VaslIington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Draw-Gears for Railway-Cars, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to take the strain off of the body of the car entirely, or as nearly so as possible, andrto distribute the strain upon both ends of the car.

A further obj ect is to provide an improved form of bumper.

The invention consists in movable cushioned brackets and followers which receive the draw-bar more or less directly and take the blows and draft upon the same; also, in the combination of similarly equipped drawbars at opposite ends of the car connected by interposed eveners; also, in the combination of draw-bars at opposite ends of the cars provided with movable cushioned brackets and followers, as described, and 'connecting' eveners, in which eveners are interposed a cushioning medium; also, in the details of construction of the before-mentioned parts, and also in a bumper having a piston or movable head cushioned in an external casing and secured therein by a slot and pin, all as I will proceed 110W more particularly to set forth and finally claim.

. In the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a plan of my drawgear broken away in the center. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken in the plane of line @c Qc, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows in plan and longitudinal section a bracket. Fig. 11 shows in plan and side elevation the piston used in said bracket. Fig. 5 is a plan on a larger scale of one-half of the mechanism shown in Fig. l, with the bumper in section and witlr one of the brackets also in partial section and the lsleeve and one of the timbers also in partial section. Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of one of the longitudinal timbers, showing the arrangement of the brackets and guides for the followers. Fig. '7 is a longitudinal section of the sleeve. Fig. Sis a detail in elevation of the connecting-rods. Fig; 9 is a side elevation of that end of the connecting-rod which is-attached to the evener-bar. Fig. l() is a side elevation of modified form of such connection. Fig. ll is a face view of one of the followers. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan of what is hereinafter designated the triple gear. Fig. 13 is a transverse section taken in the plane of line y y of Fig. l2. Fig. 14 is a partly sectional side 'elevation of the coup. ling for the evener-bar and connecting-rods in the triple-actin g gear. Fig. l5 is a side elevation of the cushioned piston for the triple gear. Fig. 16 is a horizontal longitudinal section of a modified form of connection of the draw-head with the followers7 and Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the same.

VThe timbers o. and b may be as usual, and these are connected by longitudinal timbers c c in any usual manner. The couplings CZ may be of approved con struction,having drawbars d', to which are pivoted or otherwise attached draw-rods d2, which are extended longitudinally between the timbers c c. The adjacent faces of the timbers are recessed to receive brackets e, which are securely bolted to the timbers. These brackets are provided with pockets e', in the bottoms of which are secured rubber cushions e2, as shown in Fig. 5, and within the pockets and abutting against the rubber cushions are secured the pistons f, and vthese pistons are retained within the brackets, so as to be freely movable longitudinally thereimby means of bolts f', passing through the bracket-s and through slots f2 in the pistons and through the timbers. ets form wear-plates. Followers g g are arranged between the brackets and have laterally-projecting wings g', whose sides bear against the wear-plates of the. brackets and Whose bases abut against the pistons, and the said followers have cavities g2, in which a spring 7L is arranged common to both. The bases of the followers are perforated, as at g3, to permit of the passage of the draw-rod cl2. The spring h encircles the draw-rod, and said spring normally tends to separate the followers and hold them against the cushioned pistonsf. The rear end of the draw-bar abuts against the base of the follower next to it. The followers are retained in position between longitudinal guide-plates g4, bolted or otherwise secured to the brackets, the said The projecting portions e3 of the brackguide-plates serving to form ways in which the followers travel back and forth under the draft and thrust of the draw heads. A sleeve yL' is provided with a socket t', into which the rear end of the draw-rod (72 is secured, as by means of a key 112 or other device, passed through the opening X in the sleeve and through the draw-rod. The sleeve l is slotted transversely, as at t, and is provided in said slot with an evener-barj, which is arranged in slots c in the timbers c. The evener-barj is provided with a pin or key or other fasteningv'j, which travels in a slot i in the sleeve i. with relation to the follower nextto it,but is adapted to abut against said follower in the movement of the gear. The followers, therefore, with their interposed spring constitute a spring-cushion for the draw-rod, and this spring-cushion is further cushioned by means of the cushioned pistons arranged within the brackets c, and the cushioning of the evenerbar within the sleeve completes the cushioning of the draw-bar at every point of its connection with its anchoring orseeuring devices. A rubber cushion jz is interposed between the sleeve and the evener-bar in order to take up shock which would otherwise occur on the evener bar and rods. A tic-bar k is arranged beneath the followers and securely fastened to the timbers c. (See details, Fig. 2.)

As thus constructed my invention lconstitutes a single-acting draw-gear; but in a single-acting draw-gear the sleeve e maybe omitted as also its evener-bar, and the drawrod may be connected or coupled to thc rearmost follower. In order to make a doubleacting draw-gear, I connect the evener-barsj l tion the draft and also the thrust ofthe couplers at opposite ends of the car are transmitted from one to the other and upon both ends of the car at the same time.

In order to make this draw-gear triple-acting, I interpose between the evener-bars a double-headed piston m, (see Fig. 12,) and connect the said double-headed piston by means of an evener-bar n with the connecting-rods Z of the evener-bars '7'. The pistonheads of this piston m, are arranged within cylinders 0, and the bottoms of these cylinders are provided with rubber cushions p, which may have air-valves q. It will be readily understood that in the motions of the drawgear these cushioned pistons serve to take up the thrust as well as the strain and to take them from the car-body, making the cushioned draw-gear very equable.

Instead of using rubber cushions in the various places in which I have described them as being arranged, I may employ metal springs. I may omit the cushioned brackets altogether and replace them with plain plates; but it will be found that a draw-gear con- The sleeve t' is arranged slack` strueted in accordance with the first description will be the more desirable and serviceable.

The improved bumper consists ol' a casing 1', which is secured to the timbers by means of a bolt rr, having its head countersunk in the base '/"l ol' this casing. A rubber cushion s is placed in the bottom of the casing, upon the head of its fastening-holt, and the movable head t of the bumper is arranged within the cavity containing the cushion s and abutting against the said cushion, and is secured in place therein by means of a bolt t', passed transversely through the casing r and the head t and a longitudinal slot t2 in the said movable head. By this construction of the bumper it is firmly secured tothe timbers independently of its moving portion, and the said moving portion or head t has a play within the said casing quite independently of the said casing and of the fastening of the said casing.

As shown in Fig. 14, the connections for the evener-bar n with the draw-rodsmay consist of socket-pieces a', having central openings 91,2, with transverse intersecting bolt-holes to receive bolts passed through them and through eyes in the ends of the evener-bar. The rods Z may be screw-tapped into the ends n? of the devices l11,,or the connection may be otherwise made.

In Fig. 16 the draw-rod cl2 may be omitted and the draw-bar may have formed therewith, but preferably attached thereto, a pocket 3. (Sec Figs. 1G and 17.) If this pocket is made separate from the draw-bar, it may be secured to the draw-bar by means of gibs and key ll". The pocket receives within it the follower g, between which are interposed the spring or springs h. The spring is compressed by the movement of the rear-most follower and a block or filling-piece (Z5 is inserted, behind which is placed a cross-bar d, having dovetailed ends, which are fitted in corresponding openings" in the sides of the pocket, and the said bar d and the bar di are securely retained in position by interposed blocks (Z7, fitted between the said bar and the openings in the pocket and on the sides of the bar df". The rearmost follower g may have lugs als extended from its base to embrace thc block or bar or plate d5; and, if desired, a pin d may be passed transversely through the bar d and the said ears. Instead of securing the pocket to the draw-bar by means of gibs and key, bolts may be used. This form of device is particularly well adapted for use in the single-acting drawgear.

ll'aving fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A cushioned draw-gear for railway-ears, comprising a draw-bar and draw-rod, springfollowers arranged upon the draw-rod and interposed between the rear end of the drawrod and the draw-bar, brackets which receive IOC IIO

and support the followers, and cushioned pis- 3. The cushioned draw-gear for railwaycars, comprising a draw-bar and draw-rod, brackets secured to the car-timbers and provided with cushioned pistons, guideways connecting the said brackets, followers arranged upon the draw-rod and within the said guideways and next to the cushioned pistons, and a spring interposed between the said followers and normally separating them, substantally as described.

4. The cushioned draw-gear for railwaycars, comprising a draw-bar and draw-rod, a

-sleeve att-ached to the rear end of the dravrod, and an evener-bar pivoted in the sleeve and loosely arranged in the' timbers, spring'- followers arranged upon the draw-rod and interposed between the draw-bar and the said sleeve and movable with the movement of the draw-rod, and brackets, and cushioned pistons in said brackets to receive said followers7 substantially as described.

5. The cushioned draw-gear for railwaycars, comprising a draw-bar and draw-rod, a sleeve attached to the rear end of the drawrod, and a cushioned evener-ba-r loosely pivoted in the sleeve and loosely connected to the timbers, spring-followers arranged upon the draw-rod and interposed between the draw-bar and the said sleeve and movable with the movement of the draw-rod, and supports for said followers, substantially as described.

6. A cushioned draw-gear for railway-cars, comprising at each end of the car a draw-bar and draw-rod, a sleeve attached to the rear end of the draw-rod, and an evener-bar pivoted in the sleeve and loosely connected to the timbers, spring-followers arranged upon the drawrod and interposed between the draw-bar and the said sleeve and movable with the movement of the draw-rod, and supports for said followers, combined with rods connecting the evener-bars, substantially as described.

7. A cushioned draw-gear for railway-cars, comprising at each end of the car a draw-bar and draw-rod, a sleeve attached to the rear end of the draw-rod, and an evener-bar pivoted in the sleeve and loosely arranged in the timbers, spring-followers arranged upon the draw-rod and interposed between the drawbar and the said sleeve and movable with the movement of the draw-rod, and supports for said followers, combined with rods connecting the even er-bars, and with a double-headed piston and cushioned cylinders therefor, and an evener-bar connecting the said doubleheaded piston-with the said connecting-bars,

' substantially as described.

8. A cushioned draw-gear for railway-cars, comprising a draw-bar and draw-rod at each end of the car, and usual or approved mech.- anisms for taking up the strain and thrust, and evener-bars connected to said mechanisms, combined with a double-headed piston and cylinders therefor interposed between the said evener-bars and connected to their connections, substantially as described.

9. A bumper having a casing, secured to the timbers by means of a bolt whose head is,

eountersunk in its base, combined with a movable head arranged within the easing and secured therein by means of a transverse bolt and a slot in the head, and a rubber cushion interposed between the said movable head and the base of the casing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Sth day of June, A. D. 1889.

ALVIN XV. VAN DORSTON.

lVitnesses:

WM. H. FINCKEL, E. A. FINCKEL. 

